The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-07-28
GAmerican Agriculturist.l
Sowing Grass Seed.

As rule, the sowing Of grass of
various kinds is made with some grain
crop, and usually in the fall with
wheat or rye. This method, however,
is not just to the grass, nor is it favor
able for the best results to the seed
ing. The so-called foster crop very
often robs the grass and exhausts the
soil of its needed nutriment, and a
very poor catch is the result. If the
soil is thoroughly well prepared by
manuring and sufficient tillage, the
two crops may grow together very
we'll, and the grass make good stand.
But this is seldom the case except
with a few farmers, who need no ad-
vice or suggestion upon the subject.
The great majority Of farmers need to
study this subject, and understand the
requirements Of the grass for it's sue
cessful culture.
The preparation of the soil should
be very thorough. The land should
be plowed deeply, and a liberal coat
of manure turned under, not buried,
but with the burrows laid over at an
angle of forty-fve degrees, so that the
manure lies between the layers Of soil
standing on edge in sloping manner.
The harrow, run along the furrows,
works the soil and manure together,
mixing them and making them fine
and compact. The narrowing should
be continued until the whole surface
is as smooth as garden, and the soil
is quite fine. If the land is clayey
and lumpy, it should be rolled between
the harrowlngs.
Sowing the seed alone is preferable.
If any grain crop at all is used, it
should be oats in the spring, or buck
wheat early in July, as may be most
convenient Excellent seeding has
been made early in August with a
pound Of turnip seed to the acre. This
shelters the young grass during the
winter, and dying, the turnips decay
in the spring and afford most useful
fertilizer for the crop. Timothy and
clover, and orchard grass and clover,
and the three kinds mixed, and
orchard grass alone, have been sown
in all of these three ways with better
results than when sown with fall
grain and subjected to the risks of the
winter weather.
In sowing grass and clover seeds an
even stand is desirable, and to secure
this, great care is to be taken in the
sowing. A very good practice is to
make the last narrowing with great
care, evenly and with the marks all
parallel. Then the sower can follow
these marks, first taking the edge Of
the field and returning six short PAGES
distant from the first course Then
returning on the second course, and
always sowing with the right hand to
the left. Six feet for each cast is as
much as can be taken with light seed,
as orchard grass, blue grass, red-top,
etc., and as much as should be taken
with timothy, and the quantity Of
seed taken may be readily gauged to
the width of the cast. The cast is
made with each movement Of the
right foot. When the wind is blow
ing, even slightly, the casts should be
made low, to avoid irregular dropping
of the seed, and when the light seeds
are sown it is easier to walk across the
harrow marks when the tracks made
are easily seen, and as the wind may
carry the seed to one side, the sower
may go out Of the straight track to
accommodate the wind, and on return
ing can easily distinguish the foot
marks Of the previous track in the
soft soil.
A broadcast seeder is convenient
implement, and costs but little, and
Can be carried by the sower with ease
1t drops the seed low, and if the sower
goes face to the wind at the start, the
seed is not spread unevenly When,
in spite Of all care, an irregular seed
ing is anticipated, it is well to SOW
half the seed one way, and cross the
sowing the other way, when vacant
spaces may be covered. An inexper-
fenced sower should practice on the
snow, using sand, which can be easily
seen ON the white surface, and in two
or three attempts he will be able to
make the sowing quite evenly.
The sowing should be done as soon
as the last narrowing is finished, when
the seed sinks in the loose soil, or is
covered by the first shower A
smoothing plank is a good thing to
cover seed with. It may be eight or
ten feet long, and is fitted with a
tongue and two stiff braces. The
tongue is fitted to the plank on the
level, so that when it is raised the
front end of the plank is elevated
little. This prevents the plank from
gathering stones or seeds in front of
it, and causes it to ride over them. It
leaves smooth, even surface.